Recommendation Letter Templates

BONUS TEMPLATES!
Copyright 2002 by Shaun R. Fawcett All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, without written permission from the author, except a reviewer, who may quote brief passages for a review.
National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data
Instant recommendation letter kit [electronic resource] : how to write winning letters of recommendation Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-9684297-3-4 1. Employment references. 2. Letter writing. I. Title. HF5549.5.R45F38 2002 808'.06665 C2002-902875-2
Fawcett, Shaun, 1949-
Final Draft Publications 1501 Notre-Dame West, Suite No. 5 Montreal QC, Canada H3C 1L2 http://www.writinghelp-central.com
Disclaimer
This book was written as a guide only, and does not claim to be the final definitive word on any of the subjects covered. The statements made and opinions expressed are the personal observations and assessments of the author based on his own experiences and were not intended to prejudice any party. There may be errors or omissions in this guide. As such, the author or publisher does not accept any liability or responsibility for any loss or damage that may have been caused, or alleged to have been caused, through use of the information contained in this manual. Errors or omissions will be corrected in future editions, provided the publisher receives written notification of such.
Instant Recommendation Letter Kit
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................6 EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATION LETTERS..............................7 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 1 (FAVORABLE)....8 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 2 (BALANCED)......9 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 3 (UNFAVORABLE) ...................................................................................................................10 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 4 (TARGETED).....11 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 5 (ONE PROJECT) 12 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 6 (PEER RECOMMENDATION)...................................................................................13 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 7 (SHORT-TERM PROJECT)....................................................................................................14 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 8 (PART-TIME STUDENT)...................................................................................................15 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 9 (COMMUNITY SERVICE)....................................................................................................16 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: EMPLOYMENT - SAMPLE 10 (REFUSAL TO WRITE ONE)................................................................................................17 COLLEGE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS .....................................18 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: COLLEGE-RELATED - SAMPLE 1 (UNDERGRADUATE APPLICANT).................................................................19 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: COLLEGE-RELATED - SAMPLE 2 (MATURE STUDENT APPLICANT).................................................................................20 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: COLLEGE-RELATED - SAMPLE 3 (UNDERGRADUATE, FIRST JOB)..................................................................21 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: COLLEGE-RELATED - SAMPLE 4 (GRADUATE APPLICANT)............................................................................23 RECOMMENDATION LETTER: COLLEGE-RELATED - SAMPLE 5 (SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANT)........................................................................25
Bonus SampleTemplates
Copyright 2002 Shaun R. Fawcett. All rights reserved.
July 2002
Table of Contents
REFERENCE LETTERS...........................................................................27 REFERENCE LETTER: SAMPLE 1 (EMPLOYMENT)......................................28 REFERENCE LETTER: SAMPLE 2 (CHARACTER, FRIEND)...........................29 REFERENCE LETTER: SAMPLE 3 (CHARACTER, GENERAL)........................30 REFERENCE LETTER: SAMPLE 4 (FORMER CUSTOMER)............................31 REFERENCE LETTER: SAMPLE 5 (EXPLAIN DEPARTURE)..........................32 COMMENDATION LETTERS................................................................33 COMMENDATION LETTER: SAMPLE 1 (CORPORATE).................................34 COMMENDATION LETTER: SAMPLE 2 (CUSTOMER SERVICE)....................35 COMMENDATION LETTER: SAMPLE 3 (TEACHER).....................................36 COMMENDATION LETTER: SAMPLE 4 (AWARD).......................................37 COMMENDATION LETTER: SAMPLE 5 (COMMUNITY SERVICE).................38 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION LETTERS........................................39 EVALUATION LETTER: SAMPLE 1 (SATISFACTORY)..................................40 EVALUATION LETTER: SAMPLE 2 (EXCELLENT).......................................42 EVALUATION LETTER: SAMPLE 3 (BORDERLINE).....................................45 EVALUATION LETTER: SAMPLE 4 (UNSATISFACTORY).............................48 EVALUATION LETTER: SAMPLE 5 (REQUEST FOR LETTER).......................50 COLLEGE ADMISSION ESSAYS...........................................................51 ADMISSION ESSAY: SAMPLE 1 (LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES)...............52 ADMISSION ESSAY: SAMPLE 2 (TRAVEL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY)......54 ADMISSION ESSAY: SAMPLE 3 (TARGETED UNIVERSITY).........................56 ADMISSION ESSAY: SAMPLE 4 (CAREER AND PERSONAL GOALS)............58 ADMISSION ESSAY: SAMPLE 5 (SOCIAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS).............60 ONLINE RESOURCE LINKS .................................................................62 HOW-TO INFORMATION LINKS.................................................................62 EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SITES.................................................................64 COLLEGE-RELATED SITES TIPS AND SAMPLES......................................64
July 2002
Table of Contents
COLLEGE-RELATED SITES - RECOMMENDATION LETTER FORMS............66 RECOMMENDATION LETTER SERVICES.....................................................67 COLLEGE ADMISSION ESSAY LINKS.........................................................68
How To Use The Templates

1. Open the Bonus Templates File into your word processing program (MS-Word or compatible word processing program). 2. Review the Table of Contents (TOC) and identify the template that you want to use. 3. Click on the chosen TOC entry and you will be taken to the template you have chosen. (TOC entries are all hyperlinked). 4. Open a blank second document in your word processor. 5. BE CAREFUL not to modify the actual templates document and Save over top of the original on your hard drive. This is why you Open the second document in the previous step. 6. Highlight and Copy the template and Paste it into the new document that you just opened. 7. Using the Cut and Paste and other Edit functions in your word processor, revise the template to suit your needs. 8. Save your revised document under an appropriate file name. 9. Close the templates document WITHOUT Saving over top of the original version on your hard drive.
July 2002
Page 6
INTRODUCTION
This document is a Bonus Supplement available exclusively to owners of the e-book entitled Instant Recommendation Letter Kit. The main e-book is available in PDF download format only. This means that owners can download it into Adobe Acrobat software for viewing and online browsing, but they cant work with it in practical terms. PDF documents are great because they allow the reader/purchaser of an e-book to see it online or on paper in exactly the same format that it was originally formatted by the publisher. The main Recommendation Letter Kit e-book can also be downloaded to a printer from Adobe Acrobat Reader This is something that I prefer to do with all of my e-books because I dont like to read them online. I prefer a hard copy that I can hold in my hand. With a hard copy, I can turn the pages, make notes in the margins, and hi-lite particular passages that I want to emphasize. What I normally do with e-books is, print out the document, 3-hole punch the pages, and then insert them into a 3-ring binder (D type). The only drawback to PDF documents is that they are not compatible with standard word processing software, and therefore cannot be downloaded into programs like Word or WordPerfect for editing or modification. Accordingly, the purpose of this document is to provide owners of Instant Recommendation Letter Kit with a document that they can download into their own word processing software so that they can work with the 35 real-life templates in the e-book. This MS-Word document contains all of the templates contained in the main e-book. Once downloaded, the author gives users permission to do what they like with any of the individual templates included in this document.
July 2002
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EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 1 (Favorable) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 2 (Balanced) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 3 (Unfavorable) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 4 (Targeted) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 5 (One Project) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 6 (Peer Recommendation) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 7 (Short-Term Project) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 8 (Part-Time Student) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 9 (Community Service) Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 10 (Refusal To Write One)
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 1 (favorable)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) July 30, 2002 Mr. Rodney Sims Director, Marketing Services Newport Industries Inc. 1500 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75270 Dear Rodney Sims: RE: Employment Recommendation Maria Fuentas
This is in response to your recent request for a letter of recommendation for Maria Fuentas who worked for me up until two years ago. Maria Fuentas worked under my direct supervision at Jasminder Technologies for a period of five years, ending in May 2000. During that period, I had the great pleasure of seeing her blossom from a junior marketing trainee at the beginning, into a fully functioning Marketing Program Co-Ordinator in her final two years with the company. This was the last position she held before moving on to a better career opportunity elsewhere. Maria is a hard-working self-starter who invariably understands exactly what a project is all about from the outset, and how to get it done quickly and effectively. During her two years in the Marketing Co-Ordinator position, I cannot remember an instance in which she missed a major deadline. She often brought projects in below budget and ahead of schedule. Ms. Fuentas is a resourceful, creative, and solution-oriented person who was frequently able to come up with new and innovative approaches to her assigned projects. She functioned well as a team leader when required, and she worked effectively as a team member under the direction of other team leaders. On the interpersonal side, Maria has superior written and verbal communication skills. She gets along extremely well with staff under her supervision, as well as colleagues at her own level. She is highly respected, as both a person and a professional, by colleagues, employees, suppliers, and customers alike. Two years ago, when Ms. Fuentas announced her resignation to take up a new position with a larger company, we were saddened to see her leave, although we wished her the greatest success in her new undertaking. Even now, two years after her departure, I can state that her presence, both as a person and as an exemplary employee, is still missed here. In closing, as detailed above, based on my experience working with her, I can unreservedly recommend Maria Fuentas to you for any intermediate to senior marketing support position. If you would like further elaboration, feel free to call me at (416) 765-4293. Sincerely,
Robert Christie Director, Marketing and Sales
July 2002
Page 9
Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 2 (balanced)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) June 28, 2002 Mr. Stewart Hamilton Project General Manager Airport Expansion Project Grantley Adams Intl Airport Christchurch, Barbados, West Indies Dear Stewart Hamilton: I am writing this letter at the request of David Handridge who has recently applied for the position of Graphic Design Supervisor on your project. David worked under my direct supervision in the position of project team Graphic Artist and Designer for a three-year period in the late 1990s. Overall, I would say that he was an excellent employee who fulfilled the duties of his position in an exemplary way. As an artist and designer, David was first rate, consistently producing high quality work in a timely fashion. When creative work was required, his work was always innovative and fresh. On the technical and engineering side he also produced good accurate work, even though he much preferred the creative assignments. I think it is fair to say that David never let his creative passion get in the way of his technical obligation. The only area of weakness that I ever noted in Davids performance was in his supervisory skills. In his position with the project team he had two junior artists reporting to him. In addition, he was occasionally called upon to supervise contracted graphic artists on larger rush projects. The problem that came up on a number of occasions was Davids inability or reluctance to fully delegate work to his staff. We discussed this issue a number of times and our conclusion was that, David being a perfectionist by nature, felt he had to have a direct hand in all of the work of his subordinates, no matter how routine. Needless to say, on occasion this tendency did cause some problems with staff and had some repercussions on meeting overall project deadlines. When David approached me about writing this letter, we did discuss this one area of weakness. He now assures me that, in the three years since we worked together, he has completely overcome this one shortcoming through a combination of training and ongoing practical experience. This being the case, I have no hesitation in recommending David Handridge to you for the position of Graphics Design Supervisor on your team. I should add that, on the interpersonal side, David is a wonderful person and a good communicator who gets along with people very well, even under heavy deadline pressures. Should you require further elaboration, dont hesitate to contact me at (416) 742-1594. Sincerely,
Roger Neilson, CMA Partner, ADN Engineering Systems Inc.
July 2002
Page 10
Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 3 (unfavorable)

(print a Recommendation Letter from a private citizen on regular stationery) 532 Drummond St. Perth, ON K7H 4N5 Ms. Jean Rogers Chairperson Adult Programs - Community Consultation and Advisory Committee War Memorial Hospital Perth, ON, K7N 4R2 Dear Jean Rogers: This is in reply to your recent letter to me in which you asked my opinion of Mr. Robert Jackman as a possible member of your Advisory Committee. Based on your letter, it is my clear understanding that you have contacted me on this in complete confidence, because I previously held the position of Chairperson of your committee. On that strictly confidential basis, I have the following comments to make about Mr. Jackman as they relate to him as a possible candidate for your committee. I have known Robert Jackman for more than 25 years, nine of which we worked together as insurance underwriters for the Mutual-Benefit Insurance Group. During that 25-year period Mr. Carson and I also served on a number of local community committees together. Although I respect Mr. Jackman as a highly successful insurance underwriter, I must say in all honesty that I cannot recommend him for service on your committee. Without resorting to personal assassination, I have to state that Mr. Jackman can be very difficult to work with at times, especially in a committee situation. He seems to have a strong need to always be in charge, whether he is chairperson or not. He often tends to be autocratic and obstinate, and is almost invariably in disagreement with the vast majority of his colleagues. You may recall two years ago when the Parks and Monuments Committee resigned en masse. That unfortunate group resignation was a direct result of Mr. Jackman, who was chairperson at the time, unilaterally making unpopular decisions without consulting with his committee members. This is just one example of the kind of problems Mr. Jackman has caused over the years. There are numerous others, which I wont go into here. In closing, based on my experience working with Robert Jackman, both professionally and in community service over a 25-year period, I cannot in good conscience recommend him to you for appointment to your advisory committee. If you have any questions on this, please dont hesitate to call me at 371-5289. Sincerely, Randolf Smithfield November 20, 2002
CONFIDENTIAL
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 4 (targeted)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) August 31, 2002 Ms. Helena Nearington Executive Editor, Corporate Griffon Communications Inc. 122 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 (212) 632-1789 Dear Ms. Nearington: Jeremy Cook requested that I write this letter to you with reference to his recent application to your company as a Senior Graphics Illustrator. Jeremy worked under my supervision as a Graphic Illustrator from March 1998, until April 2001. His responsibilities included conducting research, developing concepts, preparing concept boards, and rendering final graphic illustrations for publication. In addition, he performed some administrative and clerical duties related to the maintenance of the company illustration database. During the over three years that he reported to me, Jeremy proved himself to be a highly skilled and exceptionally talented graphic illustrator. He consistently produced superior quality work, on time, and within budget targets. I was particularly impressed by Jeremys ability to complete all of his work on time, even when he was multi-tasking on two or more major projects in parallel. Frequently, he even completed his assignments ahead of time. His research was invariably thorough and comprehensive, and his editorial concepts were consistently creative and always appropriate and timely. Jeremy developed his own personal signature style of illustration that quickly became the preferred choice of a number of our most valued customers. Because of that, he was assigned as lead illustrator on a number of major projects where normally, he would have been a secondary resource. This gave him the opportunity to demonstrate his excellent team leadership and project management skills. Overall, Jeremy is a conscientious, dedicated, and exemplary employee. I certainly think he has a bright future ahead of him in the editorial illustration field. Accordingly, I am pleased to recommend him for any intermediate to senior level position as an editorial graphic illustrator. Sincerely,
Raymond S. Eaton Director, Graphics Services
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 5 (one project)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) July 27, 2002 Ms. Roberta Carnavon Director, Administrative Services Corporate Connection Inc. 128 Fifth Avenue New York, NY, 10011 Dear Ms. Carnavon: RE: Recommendation Ingrid Heintzman
Ingrid Heintzman worked under my direct supervision for the six-month period, June through November 2001. Her role was that of Project Coordinator for the planning and implementation of a major international conference that was held in Toronto from October 8-10, 2001. On that project, I believe that I was able to develop a pretty fair idea of Ingrids professional capabilities, as well as her primary personal attributes as they relate to the job. Although relatively inexperienced in project management when she started, Ingrid was very quick to catch on to the required tools and techniques. Using state of the art project management software, she developed an extensive and detailed Project Work Plan which was the basic tool for project planning and status reporting/tracking. In addition, Ingrid developed a Project Accountability Matrix which became the primary day-to-day operational tool for assigning and monitoring staff resources assigned to the various project tasks. As Project Coordinator Ingrid was responsible for organizing and chairing daily project review/status meetings. She performed this role with ease and was always well-prepared for the meetings. In addition, Ingrid functioned very well as a member of the project team and consistently dealt with difficult situations appropriately. She is well-organized and is always willing to put in extra time when required. In addition to the above-mentioned project work, Ingrid was also asked to review and evaluate the Boards Contacts Database. On this project, she did an excellent job of supervising the two employees engaged in updating and modifying this important corporate database. I was particularly impressed with the thorough, well-written, and professional report that Ingrid prepared on her assessment of the database at the end of that project. As a co-worker and colleague, Ingrid was outstanding. She was co-operative and positive at all times and was very well-liked by both her colleagues and the senior managers she dealt with. She has a very pleasant and positive demeanor and is a pleasure to work with. In closing, based on my experience working with Ingrid Heintzman, I would recommend her very highly to you. I believe that her presence at the Junior/Intermediate Officer level would greatly benefit your organization. For further information, please contact me at (613) 772-4957. Sincerely, Robert Brady, M.B.A Executive Director, Corporate Services
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 6 (peer recommendation)

(print a Recommendation Letter from a private citizen on regular stationery) Beverly C. Taylor 3200 75th Avenue Landover, MD 20785 (301) 731-4754 December 10, 2002 Ms. Marilyn Joyner Chief, Personnel Services Liston Electronics Corp. 185 Parkway Dr. Landover, MD, 20780 RE: Employment Recommendation Ms. Francis Beresford Dear Marilyn Joyner: I was asked by Francis Beresford to write this letter to you based on my experience working closely with her for most of this year. I had the fortunate opportunity to work closely with Francis Beresford for eight months earlier this year while she was employed at Brenkman Systems Inc. Francis occupied the office adjacent to mine, and we collaborated on a number of projects. During the entire period, she was a pleasure to work with. I observed her to be a solid team player, a sincere and hardworking individual, as well as an excellent overall co-worker. Francis worked very hard at all times, and frequently did more than her share of the work on our joint projects. She was an independent thinker and innovator, and often took the initiative to move things forward while we were waiting for senior management decisions. I was happy to be able to work with Francis, since management invariably praised the projects that we completed as a team. In fact, on more than one occasion I made specific requests to work with Francis although I had been scheduled for other assignments. Francis was well-liked by everyone in our office, both co-workers and management. She often went out of her way to be friendly and helpful to her colleagues. Based on our eight months working together, I am pleased to recommend Francis for whatever position she may qualify for at your company. I believe she is the type of employee that any organization would be happy to have on their workforce. Sincerely, Beverly C. Taylor
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 7 (short-term project)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) Mr. Adrian Singer Project Manager The Conference Organizers Inc. 5700 Orberlin Drive, Suite 200 San Diego, CA, 92121 Dear Mr. Singer: Juanita Williams worked under my direct supervision for the seven-month period, May through November 2002. During that period she performed the dual role of Receptionist for the overall Agency, and Administrative Assistant for the Corporate Services Group. Supervising her in those capacities, I believe that I was able to develop a fair idea of Juanitas performance and capabilities, as well as the primary personal attributes which she brought to those jobs. Although relatively inexperienced when she joined the Agency, Juanita quickly demonstrated that she was a fast-learner and a very willing worker. After a short adjustment period, she performed her primary role as Receptionist in a very efficient and professional manner. At this Agency, that job frequently requires interaction with course participants from many different countries who speak a number of languages, and have different cultural perspectives and attitudes. Juanita was astute at handling these people and situations with tact and diplomacy. As mentioned, Juanita was also required to perform work as an Administrative Assistant in support of various Institute groups/projects. In this capacity, she always demonstrated that she was a quick learner and very adaptable to performing a wide variety of different tasks efficiently and effectively. She performed extremely well in what was often a multi-tasking situation, working for a number of different supervisors, while still handling her primary Receptionist duties. I was particularly impressed by how quickly and seamlessly she was able to provide support to the Financial/Accounting Group of the Agency, which involved learning the Institutes financial systems and processing varied and complex financial transactions. On the personal attribute side, Juanita was truly a pleasure to work with. She displayed an extremely friendly, helpful, and outgoing demeanor at all times. As a result, she was very well-liked by both her colleagues and course participants. In fact, I would say that Juanitas pleasant and skilled manner in dealing with the Institutes multi-cultural clientele is likely to generate significant repeat business for the Agency. She has an intuitive understanding of the client service and clients first attitudes which are so necessary in business these days. In closing, as I hope the above clearly attests, I would highly recommend Juanita Williams for positions similar to those she held with our organization. In addition, I believe that she demonstrated that she has the potential to perform even more complex and demanding duties. For further information, please dont hesitate to contact me at (313) 913-1762. Sincerely, Mary Steinhart Director, Administrative Services December 20, 2002
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 8 (part-time student)

(print a Recommendation Letter on corporate letterhead paper) Ms. Diana Dumbrell Recreation Director Pinewood Lake Camp Pinewood Lake, ON H3P 4L2 RE: Employment Recommendation - Chelsea Salzberg Dear Ms. Dumbrell: Chelsea asked me to write this to you based on our working association over the past three summers. I understand she is applying for a Senior Program Co-ordinator position with you. I have known Chelsea Salzberg since the summer of 1999. We first met when she became a volunteer counselor at the Citys Pineview Day Camp for Kids. She volunteered that summer since she was not yet old enough to be a paid worker. She did this to both serve her community and to gain valuable counseling experience. From the very beginning, Chelsea proved to be an eager and highly-motivated worker. During her first year with us she worked with the 5 to 8 year-olds and did a great job of keeping them busy with a variety of imaginative activities and crafts. Many of these group activities were Chelseas own creation, and I had to spend very little time supervising her once I got her started. The kids loved her too. It was a great first summer. During the summers of 2000 and 2001, Chelsea worked at the day camp as a paid counselor. The first year she was a regular Counselor and in 2000, she moved on to Senior Counselor duties. I really cant say enough about how well Chelsea handled her duties those two summers. She was definitely my top performer. She has a special knack for communicating with kids in all age groups. They just seem to relate very well to her and hang on her every word. No doubt, this has a lot to do with Chelseas unusually friendly and outgoing demeanor. Needless to say, she was very well liked by the kids, her peer counselors, and the City managers. One particular strength that Chelsea demonstrated consistently, was her leadership ability. This became particularly apparent last year when she organized and supervised two off-site field trips. The trips were considered great successes by both participants and staff, and went smoothly. Overall, Chelsea is a dedicated, hard-working counselor who always puts the needs of the kids before her own. She is a cooperative and willing employee, always ready to go the extra mile. Accordingly, without hesitation I am pleased to recommend Chelsea Salzberg for the Senior Program Coordinator position at your camp. I have no doubts that she will do an excellent job. Please call me at 732-1576 if you have any questions. Sincerely, Patricia Heywood Recreation Program Director, City of Ottawa April 25, 2002
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 9 (community service)

(print a Recommendation Letter from a private citizen on regular stationery) 98 North Ridge Road Minneapolis, MN, 55420 Dr. Alan Banting Director, Adult Counselling Services Holy Cross Memorial Hospital 453 South 6th Street Admin. Bldg. Minneapolis, MN, 55425 Dear Dr. Banting: Thank you for your letter asking me for my assessment of Fred Smalling as possible member of your Adult Counseling Advisory Committee. It is my understanding that Fred provided my name to you as a possible reference. I have known Fred for a little over 20 years, both as a neighbor and a fellow volunteer on many community projects. Shortly after we moved into the neighborhood in the early 1980s, I joined the Friendship Program at the hospital and discovered that the chairperson of that committee lived right across the street from me. It was Fred. Since then, we have had fairly regular contact. Although we dont socialize that much as neighbors, I know Fred best through his work with the Police Association Assistance Program and through his involvement with the Friends of Schizophrenics group. Based on my volunteer work with Fred over the past two decades, I am pleased to be able to recommend him as a member of your new committee. He is a dedicated, community-minded individual who puts helping others less fortunate than himself as his number one priority. One thing in particular that always amazed me about Fred is his ability to leave his stressful job with the police force at the end of the day and then freely give up two or three evenings of every week to the various causes he supports. Many weekends too. Hes clearly an exemplary citizen. Fred has an amazing ability to relate to people from all walks of life. He is also very smart and has excellent organizational and leadership abilities. Fred is almost always the one who takes charge and motivates both clients and volunteers. Having been so involved in community service work over the years, he is very knowledgeable about fund-raising techniques, and he has many contacts in his network. You might want to consider him seriously as overall Chair, or at least, Fund Raising Chair, on your committee. In closing, Im sure that Fred Smalling would be a valuable addition to you committee. I only hope that his involvement with that wont take him away from all of the good work that he already does for so many. You can reach me at 543-5678 if you have any questions. Yours in service, Bradley Finnegan June 30, 2002
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 10 (refusal to write one)

(print a Recommendation Letter on corporate letterhead paper) September 10, 2002
Miranda Rasmussen 429-A Central Ave. Cincinatti, OH, 45202 Dear Miranda: Suzanne Trimble told me that you had called wondering if I would provide you with a letter of recommendation for a new position you are applying for. I thank you for the honor, but after some consideration, Im afraid I will have to decline to write you a letter. Believe me, it is nothing personal. As far as I know, your relatively brief stay with our company was a productive one for you and a pleasant one for your colleagues. However, since you didnt report to me directly, I dont feel that I know you or your work well enough to be able to make a recommendation one way or another. I would suggest that you request a letter from Angela Goodall since she was your boss for your final six months with the company. Perhaps you have already done so. Angela would be in a much better position to provide a fair assessment of your work performance during your stay with us. Im sure she would be agreeable to writing you a letter. Of course, if you are simply looking for someone to confirm your term of employment here, and your salary level, I suggest you ask Roger Simmons, the Director of Human Resources. Im sure that his staff could get something like that out to you in a hurry. I wish you the very best in the future. Sincerely,
Kenneth Thomas President and CEO cc: Angela Goodall, Director of Marketing
July 2002
Page 18
COLLEGE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 1 (undergraduate applicant) Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 2 (mature student applicant) Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 3 (undergraduate, first job) Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 4 (graduate applicant) Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 5 (scholarship applicant)
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 1 (undergraduate applicant)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) October 25, 2002 Ms. Jillian Shepperd Director of Admissions Admissions and Recruitment Office MacDonald University 1449 Dorchester Ave. W., Rm 451 Montreal, QC, H3A 1T4 Dear Ms. Shepperd: I am very pleased to write this recommendation on behalf of Layla Bell. Layla has been a student in the accelerated liberal arts program at Holymount High for her entire five years of high school. During that period I have observed her grow into a poised and accomplished young woman. She is an exceptional student with excellent grades resulting from diligent work habits. Layla has superior interpersonal skills and works equally well independently or in a group setting. She also displays good leadership skills when involved in group projects. She is very well liked and respected by both her peers and her teachers. Among her many service activities at the school, Layla was a coach of the junior track team for the past two years and she was a member of the senior cross-country team. She also took part in the Mentoring Program and helped a number of juniors navigate their way through their first year of high school. In addition, Layla was involved in organizing a number of fund-raising projects at the school, including a team marathon event that raised over $5,000 for cancer research. Layla has shown an ongoing interest in world affairs and international development. It is my understanding that she intends to pursue an Honors degree in Political Science or Sociology. She has traveled extensively and has written outstanding reports with observations on conditions she has witnessed throughout the world. I believe that Layla Bell has tremendous potential as a student and I feel quite confident that she would be an asset to both student life and academics at MacDonald University. Yours truly,
Allan S. Fenton Vice-Principal
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 2 (mature student applicant)

(print a Recommendation Letter on company letterhead paper) Professor Reiner Holzman Director, Teaching Studies Boston University Center 115 Beacon St., Rm. 489 Boston, MA, 02110 Re: Recommendation Letter - Deanna Daryna Dear Professor Holzman: I have been asked to write this letter for Deanna Daryna as one of the requirements for her admission to the Teaching English As A Second Language (TESL) program. I have known Deanna for a total of fifteen (15) years. In 1986 we started out together as colleagues in the advertising department of Readers World Magazine. We worked together there for a period of six years during which I got to know her quite well. Then, in 1995 Deanna moved to our Atlanta office for two years to take part in a special assignment team as the company started to gear-up its Internet presence. When Deanna returned to head office in 1998 she became my employee since I had been promoted to Director of Advertising Operations the previous year. Accordingly, I know Deanna in a professional capacity primarily as an advertising copywriter and direct marketing expert. What I can tell you about her is that, in those two areas, she is among the very best in the business. She has a gift for copywriting, and her creative mind was responsible for some of the most successful marketing campaigns that Readers World has ever implemented. Deanna was hand-picked by senior management to work in Atlanta with the Internet Presence Project Team. As team leader, she headed up a small group responsible for adapting our direct mail campaigns to the Internet environment. The company implemented that teams strategy in early 2000 and now Readers World is among the top three publishing companies on the Web. During the dot com meltdown in 2000, our company went through a major downsizing exercise. Deanna decided that she wanted to take an early retirement package and do something different with her life. I was not at all surprised when she told me that she wanted to go back to school and learn to teach English as a second language. In our early years at Readers World I had often seen Deanna in the teaching role as she trained new employees from all over the world about how to implement the companys mailing campaigns. I could see that she very much enjoyed that teaching role and how well-suited she was to it. She had a special knack for communicating with employees from our regional offices in developing countries. So, in a sense, Deannas new path in TESL is a natural progression from her training work with the company. In my opinion Deanna Daryna is an exceptionally bright and hardworking individual who throws herself enthusiastically into what ever she undertakes. Accordingly, I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Deanna as a participant in your TESL program. Sincerely, Robert Jamieson Director, Advertising Operations December 15, 2002
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 3 (undergraduate, first job)

(print a Recommendation Letter on corporate letterhead paper) December 1, 2002 Mr. Roland Zimmerman General Manager and Editor Windy City Publishing Clarkson Press Building, 12th Flr. 200 East Huron Street Chicago, IL, 60610 Dear Mr. Zimmerman: I am pleased to be able to write this letter of recommendation for Valerie Douglas. I understand that she has applied for a job with you as a manuscript reviewer. I have known Valerie since she entered Lakeland College as a freshman three years ago. Over the years I have gotten to know her as a student in two of my classes and also as her department head. From the very first year, Valerie impressed me in a number of ways. She is a verious serious student but can also be very enthusiastic about everything she does. I first met Valerie when she was a student in my introductory english literature class. She immediately struck me as a very earnest person who became increasingly excited about the course material as the semester progressed. I was very pleased when Valerie asked me to sign her intent to become an English major form. Since then, I have watched her use both her seriousness and enthusiasm to develop into an outstanding english major. She possesses an excellent knowledge base in english literature and has developed strong analytical, critiquing, and writing skills. Most recently, Valerie participated in my Early Classics Seminar series, and her performance in the class was excellent. Her contributions included: she wrote three strong papers on topics related to the lives of classics authors, she collaborated with three of her classmates on a skillfully written period novella, she participated actively in three group discussions, and she led a well-prepared and professionally delivered group presentation in class. I believe it is Valeries strong work ethic, coupled with her meticulous attention to detail that allows her to produce such high quality papers. Her ability to work well with others, even under stress, allows her to get the most out of group assignments. Her strong performance as leader of the group presentation was a result of rigorous preparation and her excellent oral communication skills which allowed her to highlight how well she knew her subject. If you are seeking someone who has consistently demonstrated the following skills, abilities and characteristics during her undergraduate career, then I suggest you give Valerie your full consideration. Carries out projects successfully Deals effectively with a wide variety of people Gathers and organizes information from multiple sources Works effectively as a team member Handles conflict successfully Shows initiative, creativity, and persistence Demonstrates effective time management July 2002
Instant Recommendation Letter Kit Speaks articulately and persuasively Writes clearly and precisely
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In summary, I am pleased to recommend Valerie Douglas to you without reservation. If you have any questions regarding the above, please dont hesitate to call me at (312) 335-9747. Sincerely,
Donald R. Atkinson, Ph.D. Professor and Department Head
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 4 (graduate applicant)

(print Recommendation Letter on corporate letterhead paper) November 20, 2002
Ms. Catherine Halstat Assistant Head Psychology Department Health Research Center Midwestern College 1345 College Park Road Minneapolis, MN, 55450 Dear Ms. Halstat:
This letter is in support of Jason Fairbanks application for admission to your graduate program. Jason is currently a senior psychology major at Midwestern. I have known him since we met in his senior year of high school during a Midwestern familiarization session. We made contact again as soon as he enrolled as a freshman and I have followed his progress ever since. I have been at Midwestern since 1984 and rarely have I seen a psychology major with as much going for him as Jason has. I believe he has a high potential for success in graduate school. Jason's greatest strength is his ability to perform research. As a sophomore, he enrolled in InternetEnabled Research Methods, our senior-level research course. Students in this course must complete a full research project (from literature review to final paper) in only one semester, and they must present the results of their research at the meeting of the Midwest Psychology Research Symposium that is held annually at the University of Southern Illinois. In my opinion, Jason's presentation was among the top three given at the conference that year. His clarity and composure during the presentation, and his poise and ability to think on his feet during the question period that followed were truly remarkable for a sophomore. He presented another paper at that conference in his junior year which was even better than his sophomore paper. Jason conducts himself very professionally at these conferences and is particularly adept at networking with students and faculty from other institutions to gain more insight into their research and share his own findings. One of Jasons papers at last year's conference was a presentation of a new student evaluation form that he and several other students developed as a research team. That presentation went over so well that Jason and his team members were asked by the chairperson of the conference to present their research at last springs National College Conference. They were the first students in Midwestern's history to present at the National Conference. After that, their evaluation methodology was approved by the board and the faculty and has been in use college-wide ever since. This is a good demonstration of Jasons ability to lead a cooperative team effort, a quality that Im sure will serve him well in your graduate program. Jason has taken four courses classes from me over the years: Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and The Psychology of Addictions. He has performed exceptionally well in all of them. He is an intelligent, enthusiastic, well-prepared, well-spoken, and assertive individual who gets a lot out of his classes and also gives back a considerable amount through his active participation. His comments in class are always timely, relevant, and valuable in summarizing the discussion or stimulating it to go in new directions. His writing is clear, concise, and articulate.
July 2002
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Jason also has excellent computer skills and his minor is in information technology. He is a selfstarter who can work independently with little or no supervision. One particular strength that Jason has is the ability to integrate and synthesize information from a variety of sources to produce novel, yet realistic, creative interpretations and conclusions. He used this gift especially well in my Developmental Psychology course in which he scored exceptionally well in his independent project work. One of Jason's most remarkable traits is his deep-rooted sense of moral and ethical responsibility. We have had many conversations about the ethical climate of both Midwestern College and US universities and colleges in general. As a result, Jason undertook a major research project that deals with the issue of academic integrity. One of the papers that he presented at last year's National Conference entitled "Dishonesty in Academia Myth or Reality?" looked at the various types of typical academic dishonest behavior (e.g., cheating and plagiarism) and estimated their degree of prevalence at both Midwestern and at other campuses across the country. Jason was recently invited by the President of this college to present his findings on this at an upcoming Regional College Forum . As you know, success in graduate school is a function of many variables including intelligence, motivation, communication skills, and personal traits. Although often overlooked in letters of recommendation, this last factor may well be one of the most important at the graduate studies level. As an individual, Jason is an extremely well-rounded person. He is likeable, straightforward, downto-earth, confident, and generally, a pleasant person to be around. He is very well-liked and held in high regard by both his peers and members of the faculty. When he has the time, Jason serves as a volunteer mentor in the Freshman Assistance Program and off-campus he is involved in a number community fund-raising projects. Somehow, in the midst of all of these academic and community service activities, he still manages to find the time to play squash. In fact, he was a member of Midwesterns Intercollegiate Squash Team that placed third at the Regional Championships earlier this year. In conclusion, based on the foregoing it should be clear that I regard Jason Fairbanks as an outstanding individual in every sense of the word. Accordingly, I recommend Jason to you for acceptance into your graduate studies program, without hesitation. I believe he is exactly the type of undergraduate student that I would accept into a graduate program if I were making such a decision. In my opinion, Jason has unlimited potential and will eventually go far as a professional psychologist in the coming years. Sincerely,
Frederick Wyatt, Ph.D. Department Head
July 2002
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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 5 (scholarship applicant)

(print a Recommendation Letter on corporate letterhead paper) August 31, 2002
Margaret A. Smeltzer Chairperson Scholarship Selection Committee Pacific Coast University 2705 Valleyview Drive, Rm. 205 San Diego, CA, 92120 Dear Mrs. Smeltzer:
I am writing this letter in support of Daniel Kim's nomination for the 2002-03 California Human Resources Society Scholarship. I have known Daniel since he entered PCU as a freshman three years ago. Since that time I have come to know him very well as his teacher in four of his courses, and through various academic and extracurricular interactions. I am writing this because it is my sincere belief that he is eminently qualified as a deserving recipient of your scholarship. Over the past three years he has demonstrated to me that he possesses exceptionally high levels of academic ability, motivation, and potential for contributions to the field of human resources management. Daniel earned a grade of "A" in all four courses that he took from me: Psychology - An Introduction, The Science of Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Research Studies in Psychology. Please note that the criterion for an "A" in all four of these classes is only attained by receiving 95% of all possible points. The Science of Psychology is an extremely rigorous course, and fewer than 2% of students have ever received an A in this subject in the 15 years that I have been teaching it. His performance in Developmental Psychology was just as remarkable. He received perfect scores on 10 of 12 tests and earned 98 out of a possible of 100 on his term paper. Daniels current accumulated GPA is 3.87 (out of 4.0) and his GPA in psychology classes is 4.0. He has never received a grade lower than an "A" since his freshman year. He will graduate "with Honors" next year. This superior level of academic performance indicates an exceptional understanding of his subject material. With knowledge, skills, and abilities at this level, Daniel should go far in his field in the future. I believe he plans to attend graduate school, and we are currently looking at his options in this area. One of Daniel's key strengths is his ability to analyze, integrate, and synthesize information from a wide variety of disparate sources and to apply the essence of this information to an important topic. His term paper, titled "The History of Cognitive Dissonance and Its Prevalence In The Corporate Workplace" is an excellent example of this ability. A copy of that paper is attached. Students writing papers were asked to accomplish the following three objectives:
Document the history of a particular area of psychology in which you have a particular interest. Explain a controversial issue that continues to exist within this area. Take and defend a specific position on this controversial issue.
July 2002
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As you will see if you have the time to even skim the attached, Daniel's paper is meticulously wellresearched, argued, and written. It was by far the best in the class. His work was also very well organized and his writing style was simple, clear, and precise. His discussions were thoughtful and the rationale for his arguments were well laid-out. His research was exceedingly thorough, and he cited some 38 sources although only 15 were required. Daniels paper is the ideal precursor for a major research project in human resource management that he plans to undertake next year on Morals and Ethics In the Workplace. That course requires the completion of an original empirical research project with the aid of computer applications software at each stage (i.e., bibliographic search, statistical analysis, graphics production, and word processing). The final requirement of this course is the presentation of the completed paper at the annual Regional Undergraduate Research Conference. I have absolutely no doubt that Daniel will produce a research paper that reflects positively on himself, our department, and PCU. Daniel is the perfect example of an exceptional student whose actions speak louder that his words. Because of his academic prowess and his achievements to-date, in the PCU Psychology Department, Daniel walks softly but carries a big stick, as the expression goes. He is highly esteemed by his peers and the faculty members. Both groups are aware that he is a young man of considerable talent, intelligence, and motivation who knows how to go the extra mile and contribute his skills to the group in a quiet, professional manner. As an active and committed member of the PCU Psychology Club, Daniel has set a new standard for club activities. His leadership abilities have not gone unnoticed. This past year he was elected National Secretary of the American Association of Undergraduate Psychology Clubs (AAUPC). He has also been re-elected President of his local chapter for next year. As teachers, every once in a few years we may be fortunate enough to teach someone who we believe has what it takes to go on and make a major difference in their field. I believe that Daniel is one of those rare individuals. In closing, without hesitation I would like to recommend that Daniel Kim be chosen as the recipient of the California Human Resources Society Scholarship, for 2002-03. This young man deserves it. Sincerely,
Mathew Houston, Ph.D. Professor and Department Head attachment
July 2002
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REFERENCE LETTERS
Reference Letter: Sample 1 (employment) Reference Letter: Sample 2 (character, friend) Reference Letter: Sample 3 (character, general) Reference Letter: Sample 4 (former customer) Reference Letter: Sample 5 (explain departure)
July 2002
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Reference Letter: Sample 1 (employment)

(print an Employment Reference Letter on company letterhead stationery)
July 15, 2002
RE: Employment Reference Tony Rocco To whom it may concern: This is to confirm that Tony Rocco worked under my direct supervision as an Insurance Sales Representative from January 1999 to October 2001. During this period Tony progressed from sales initiation trainee to fully certified sales representative by the time he left for another job. I would say that Tony is a hard working individual who learns quickly. He is generally cooperative and can perform well as a member of a team, although he prefers to work independently. He communicates very well orally and is working hard to improve his writing skills. I saw considerable improvement in this area during the last year he was with us. As a sales professional, Tony was always above the 50 th percentile of performers on my sales team. Since he started from scratch only two years ago, and most of his colleagues were highly experienced with strong, established networks, I would say that Tony achieved a lot in his early years as a sales representative. So, based on what I observed during my two years with Tony, I believe he has excellent potential to become a high-performing sales professional in the insurance business. For further information, I can be reached at (514) 989-0779. Sincerely, Jannik Soberman Director, Insurance Sales Operations
July 2002
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Reference Letter: Sample 2 (character, friend)

(Character Reference Letter can be printed on company letterhead or standard paper) 501 Kemper Ave. St. Louis, MO, 63139 October 14, 2002 RE: Character Reference Jason Sunderland To whom it may concern: The purpose of this is to provide a character reference for Mr. Jason Sunderland who I have known as a classmate, roommate, and friend for a period of five years. I first met Jason in our freshman year at Adirondack College. We were both studying a general arts program there and became acquainted through a number of common classes that we shared. By second year, we had become friends and decided to take an off-campus apartment together. We shared that living arrangement until we both graduated last year. Accordingly, having gotten to know Jason so well over the past few years, I believe puts me in a position to provide you with a pretty accurate assessment of his character. As a student, Jason was a hard-working and highly committed to his education. I believe that his excellent transcripts will attest to that fact. In addition, he was quite involved in a number of extracurricular activities including the track and field team and the school newspaper. In fact, in his last two years he was Assistant Editor of the Campus Inquirer. Outgoing, and always willing to help someone out, Jason was very popular with his fellow students. As a roommate, Jason was a great choice. He was very neat and tidy at all times and he liked things in the apartment to be kept orderly. He made a point of cleaning his own room and the common living areas on a regular basis. He socialized occasionally at home but was always respectful of my needs, and he and his guests kept the noise down and ended their activities at a reasonable hour. As a friend, Jason Sunderland is a standout. He is a loyal, honest, considerate, and supportive individual who has the ability to see and understand things from another persons perspective. He is a great direct communicator and knows how to raise and discuss common living issues and problems in a non-threatening manner. He is hyper-sensitive and is always tuned into how another person might feel in a given situation. He likes to have fun too. During our years at school we maintained an ongoing friendly rivalry on the squash courts. To tell the truth, I really cant think of anything of consequence on the negative side of the personality ledger when it comes to Jason. All in all, I would have to say that Jason Sunderland is a fine, well-balanced person with an abundance of positive qualities. Sincerely, Ronald Marrion
July 2002
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Reference Letter: Sample 3 (character, general)

(Recommendation Letter from a private citizen is printed on regular stationery)
9528 Carling Ave. Apt. 1508 Ottawa, Ontario K2B 8M5 January 25, 2002
RE: Character Reference - Manuela Gonzalez To whom it may concern: I have known Manuela Gonzalez since January 2000 when she began living-in with my ex-wife and caring for my daughter Charlotte. Due to a divorce, I don't live in the same house as Manuela and my daughter, but I believe that over the past 20 months or so, I have had enough contact with her, both directly and indirectly (through my daughter's behavior), to be able to possess a reasonably accurate impression of her attributes and character. Accordingly, based on all my personal dealings with Manuela (as well as comments made by Charlottes mother), I find her to be a very kind, loving, and caring individual. I am very comforted to have such a person responsible for the day-to-day care of my daughter. In addition, I have also noted that Manuela is hard-working, responsible, conscientious, and honest. She has displayed good judgment, tactfulness, diplomacy, and co-operation in all of the contacts I have had with her. Therefore, based on my knowledge of her, I would not hesitate to state that Manuela Gonzalez is a very dependable individual of seemingly impeccable character. If you require further information, please don't hesitate to contact the undersigned at (819) 997-4295 or (613) 232-4158. Sincerely,
Peter R. Shannon
July 2002
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Reference Letter: Sample 4 (former customer)

(Corporate Reference Letter is printed on corporate letterhead stationery) 3005 19th Street, NE Calgary, AB T2E 6Y9 November 20, 2002
RE: Customer Reference Thompson Graphics Inc. To whom it may concern: I have been asked to write this letter of reference because our company will no longer be operating its printing plant that has served Thompson Graphics Inc. for more than a decade. Thompson Graphics has been one of our top customers for the past 15 years. Accordingly, I have no hesitation in recommending them as a company to do business with. In addition to doing business with his company for many years, Ray Thompson and I go back to our university days over 25 years ago. So, I can also vouch for him as a great individual and a concerned and active citizen in this community. As far as a company to do business with, Thompson Graphics is one of the best that we have ever dealt with. Its practice was always to pay our printing invoices within the 30-day time limit. We did significant amounts of business, especially during the past 5 years, and I cannot recall a late-payment situation involving that company. Billing disputes were rare, and those only required some minor additional documentation for clarification and resolution. Thompson was one of the best companies that I have ever dealt with from a change-order and work scheduling perspective. We maintained a close communication with the companys production people and they always kept us apprised of their upcoming workload, so that scheduling jobs on our presses was never a problem. In addition, Thompsons graphics people always provided us with high quality finished artwork, and it was unusual for additional changes to be made after the plates had been produced. Based on our experience, any printing company should be very pleased to be the one that Thompson Graphics chooses to do business with once we have closed our doors. Sincerely, Stewart Johannsen President and CEO
July 2002
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Reference Letter: Sample 5 (explain departure)

(Corporate Reference Letter is printed on corporate letterhead stationery)
395 North Summit Street Arkansas City, KS 67005 December 15, 2002
RE: Reason For Leaving Susan Williams To whom it may concern: The purpose of this is to explain why Susan Williams left our company after less than one year of employment. Unfortunately, Susan is an innocent victim of corporate restructuring and downsizing. When we hired Susan as an online advertising specialist 11 months ago we had high hopes that the Internet-based economy would quickly pick up, and that Susan would be a part of our move to the next level in the industry. Things did not turn around as quickly as we had hoped. So, in August our Board of Directors decided to impose a major restructuring and downsizing program on the online operations of the company, particularly in marketing and advertising. Susan was one of the people in the advertising department with the least amount of seniority, so we had to let her go. This is to confirm that during the period Susan Williams worked with us we found her performance to be above average. In fact, the head of our advertising department tells me that he would re-hire Susan in a hurry if our fortunes turned around again. If you require further information, I can be reached at (316) 442-0955. Sincerely, Margaret Amaroso Director, Human Resources
July 2002
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COMMENDATION LETTERS
Commendation Letter: Sample 1 (corporate) Commendation Letter: Sample 2 (customer service) Commendation Letter: Sample 3 (teacher) Commendation Letter: Sample 4 (award) Commendation Letter: Sample 5 (community service)
July 2002
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Commendation Letter: Sample 1 (corporate)

(Corporate Commendation normally printed on corporate memo letterhead stationery)
MEMORANDUM Date: From: To: November 31, 2002 Monica Bates Pablo Cassavetes Director, Research Support Programs
Subject: Commendation Hubert McConnell Freight Transport Demand Project The purpose of this is to officially commend Hubert McConnell for his exceptional contribution throughout his assignment to the Freight Transport Demand Project (FTDP). As you know, Hubert has been working on special assignment with the FTDP team for the past eight months. Now that he is about to return to your part of the organization I wanted to make sure that he gets some recognition for his significant and exceptional contributions to the project. As a junior econometrician, Huberts role in the project was pivotal to its timely and successful completion. It was Hubert who worked long hours, numerous nights and weekends with his small team of researchers, first specifying, and then testing the thousands of equations that had to be run. The quality of Huberts written work was also exceptional. His regression analysis summaries were always very well written and rarely required revision. As a colleague and project team member, Hubert was also outstanding. His upbeat enthusiasm for the project was infectious, and he seemed to motivate the entire project team. He was very well liked by all team members, and in effect he became unofficial deputy project manager. In closing, I would like to say that I have worked with many junior economists and econometricians over the years and have never run across one who was as professional and productive as Hubert McConnell was on the FTDP. I believe that the organization as a whole should recognize his exceptional contribution to a major project. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Catherine Potvin Director, Econometric Research cc: Hubert McConnell Personnel file H. McConnell
July 2002
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Commendation Letter: Sample 2 (customer service)

(Commendation from a private citizen normally printed on standard stationery) 4590 Green Avenue Montreal, QC Ms. Vivien Wong Manager, Guest Services Mount Royal Hotel 4900 Sherbrooke Street Montreal, H5S 3T7 Dear Ms. Wong: September 20, 2002
RE: Exceptional Service Mr. Eduardo Perez
My name is Paul Kubecki. I have been a member of your hotels health and fitness club for over five years. I am writing this to you in your capacity as manager responsible for the club. The sole purpose of this letter is to draw your attention to the exceptional level of service that has been provided by Mr. Eduardo Perez since he joined the staff of the health club, some 18 months ago. I normally wouldnt take the time to write a letter like this, but in Eduardos case, I just had to because he has made such a difference to the level of service that members now receive. From the day he joined the team at the club it was clear that Eduardo was different from those who had preceded him. It was obvious from the beginning that he has a clear understanding of what customer service is all about, and he knows how to deliver it to club members. Among many other things, Eduardo is extremely courteous, thoughtful, and kind in all of his dealings with members. In addition, he is very effective in running club matters. For example, previously, when a machine would break down (i.e. a treadmill) it would take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks for it to be repaired due to lack of follow-up by health club staff. Now, when a machine breaks down, Eduardo makes it his personal mission to see that things are followed-up. Since he arrived, repairs are always done within 24 to 48 hours. Before Eduardo, it was a common occurrence for the water coolers to be left unfilled and the tissue boxes that should be kept outside of the squash courts would never be replaced without members complaining. Now with Eduardo in charge, these small but annoying things just dont happen anymore. He has instituted a walk around system whereby members of the health club staff must check all facilities at the beginning of their shift to see if anything needs attention. This has made a big difference and has definitely been noticed by members. I have discussed my intention to write this letter with a number of regular members and they enthusiastically supported the idea that Eduardo be acknowledged for his exceptional efforts. We trust that Eduardo Perez will somehow be recognized for delivering a superior level of customer service to members of the Mount Royal Hotel, Health and Fitness Club. If you would like further details, please dont hesitate to contact me at (514) 989-7299. Sincerely, Paul Kubecki
July 2002
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Commendation Letter: Sample 3 (teacher)

(Commendation from a private citizen normally printed on standard stationery) 45 Muskoka Drive West Orillia, ON L3V 7T5 August 28, 2002 Ms. Patricia Morton Couchiching District Secondary School 78 Andrew St. S. Orillia, ON L4S 3R2 Dear Ms. Morton: The purpose of this is to thank you for the positive influence you have had on our daughter Samantha this past school year. Up until this year, Samantha had problems every year with her English language studies. This year we have noticed a dramatic turnaround, and it is clear to us that it is directly attributable to your teaching methods. Samanthas average in English Language Studies is now in the mid 80s when in previous years, she has never received an average over 65% in those subjects. It also shows in Samanthas general attitude towards all of her subjects, and school in general. For the first time that we can remember, she looks forward to going to school and to your English Literature and Drama classes in particular. Her overall average for all subjects has increased this year by over 10 points, to above 80%. Veronica and I feel that the changes in Samanthas attitude and marks have been so dramatic that we wanted to formally thank you for your efforts on our daughters behalf. We have also taken the liberty of sending a copy of this letter to your Principal, Jackson Davies. Thank you so much for what you have done for our daughter. Yours sincerely,
Patrick and Veronica Miller cc: Mr. Jackon Davies Principal, Couchiching District Secondary School
July 2002
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Commendation Letter: Sample 4 (award)

(Award Commendation normally printed on corporate memo letterhead stationery)
CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM Date: From: To: September 12, 2002 Peter Hartley Ken Handler Executive Director
Subject: Nomination Barbara Meltzer Roderick Shore Award, 2002 The purpose of this is to submit the name of Barbara Meltzer as a nominee for the 2002 Roderick Shore Award for Excellence in Aircraft Accident Investigation. Since July 1998 when Barbara first joined this agency, she has consistently demonstrated her superior skills, abilities, and professionalism as a member of the aviation accident investigation group. I believe that she is a shining example of everything that is signified by the Roderick Shore Award, and she should be given the award for 2002. I will briefly summarize my reasons for my nomination: Barbara was instrumental in leading a successful search and recovery effort when the Air Orion B-707 crashed into Lake Ontario in December 2000. As investigator-in-charge of the Air Orion investigation, she has set a new standard for applying project management techniques to a major accident investigation. Barbaras performance in dealing with all parties involved has been exceptional. These parties included: next-of-kin, the media, police forces, interested parties, and other government agencies. She is clearly a gifted communicator and negotiator. She and her team of investigators managed to produce a comprehensive draft report for Board review within 15 months of the accident date. As you know, this is unprecedented for a major investigation and has set a new standard for this agency. Even though she was pre-occupied with the Air Orion investigation, Barbara managed to make significant contributions to the drafting of the Boards new Investigation Policy.
Im sure you will agree that Barbaras contribution has been outstanding and exemplifies the qualities of excellence, and professionalism that are embodied in the Roderick Shore Award. I look forward to our discussion of nominees at next weeks Management Council Meeting.
Peter Hartley Director, Investigation Operations
July 2002
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Commendation Letter: Sample 5 (community service)

(Commendation from a private citizen normally printed on standard stationery) 435 Fourth Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 49637 Mr. Albert Wolfson Executive Director Citizens Volunteer Center 748 Center Street Ann Arbor, MI, 49652 Dear Mr. Wolfson: I am writing this to you on the advice of the Mayors Office. My initial inclination was to write there but when I called, they told me to send my letter to you. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of one of our citizens who I believe should receive some special recognition for dedicated community service. The person to whom I refer is Elizabeth Samuelson. I believe you know Elizabeth in your position as volunteer coordinator. I have known Elizabeth for more than 20 years as both a friend and a neighbor. During that time I have seen her work tirelessly on scores of community projects and committees. As far as I know, she has never received any kind of recognition from the community for her work. I believe she should be given some sort of special recognition. Just last year alone, she worked on at least six different community projects including the Park Renewal Project, and the Heritage Homes Fund-Raising Banquet. I believe she is also a member of a number of ongoing committees including the Library Restoration Committee and the Citizens for Literacy Committee. In addition, she is a weekly driver for the Meals-on-Wheels program and she visits patients at the palliative care unit at the hospital on a regular basis. Im sure that if you check with a few of your staff members who have been there over the years, they will confirm Elizabeths community service record and probably be able to add many examples to the few I have given here. (By the way, Elizabeth has no idea that I am writing this. She is a low-key, humble person, and if she were aware of it, she would not allow me to send it.) I have thought about writing such a letter about Elizabeth a number of times in the past but just never took action. Then last week, I noticed in the paper that you sponsor an annual dinner at which dozens of awards are given out to people with much less community service than Elizabeth. In fact, I checked with her and she has never even been invited to that annual event! I urge you to correct that omission now and take action to see that Elizabeth Samuelson is properly recognized for her many years of silent but outstanding service to this community. Yours truly, Linda Sullivan cc: Office of Mayor John Everest October 15, 2002
July 2002
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PERFORMANCE EVALUATION LETTERS

Evaluation Letter: Sample 1 (satisfactory) Evaluation Letter: Sample 2 (excellent) Evaluation Letter: Sample 3 (borderline) Evaluation Letter: Sample 4 (unsatisfactory) Evaluation Letter: Sample 5 (request for letter)
July 2002
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Evaluation Letter: Sample 1 (satisfactory)

(Performance Evaluation Letter is normally printed on corporate letterhead stationery) CONFIDENTIAL Professor Ralph Hewson P.O. Box 9010 Postal Station UNI Michigan Ave. West Chicago, IL, 60601 Dear Professor Hewson: This performance evaluation letter covers your performance as a tenured associate professor from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002. This evaluation focuses on three major areas weighted as follows: teaching (65%), research (25%) and service (10%). It also takes into consideration your responsibilities and obligations as a faculty member. Teaching Your teaching performance has been evaluated as average by both your peers and students. Based on my observations of your teaching methods and instructional materials during my periodic audits, I agree with that assessment. This average rating is partially offset by the great success you have achieved in developing a reputation as a preferred advisor. I congratulate you on your success in this area. In addition, you deserve the appreciation of the entire faculty for doing the lions share of the work in preparing the instructional materials for the new first-year mandatory courses. Research I note that the majority of your research activities are directly related to new communication techniques and technology. I am also aware that two of your articles were published this past year by a very prestigious journal in the academic communications field. You have also presented a number of excellent papers on this subject. The CanComm Award that you received last year continues to give you many opportunities to showcase your work. It also reflects well on the department and the school as a whole. In the coming year, I urge you to continue to submit papers to refereed publications and to continue to build up your dossier in your own field, rather than focusing solely on communications technology. Overall, I find your performance in research to be above average. Services In general, your governance and service activities continue to be satisfactory, and consistent with your departmental assignments. However, I have noticed a decline in this area during the past year, when compared with previous years. Your level of participation has fallen off and you avoid commencing new initiatiatives. I encourage you to get more involved. I suggest you accept the chair of the search committee as we try to fill the three vacant positions in the department. This would be an excellent concrete demonstration of your commitment to the service aspect of your position. Overall In summary, for reasons indicated in the foregoing, I have assessed your overall performance this past year to be satisfactory, but with improvements needed. I would like to see you focus more on diversity in both your instructional program and in your research endeavors. I encourage you to make a point to observe some of your colleagues in action and see how they conduct classes and keep the students engaged. As noted, I expect you to take a pro-active role in filling the vacant positions in the department. April 10, 2002
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In closing, I am pleased to recommend your appointment for the coming academic year. Your provisional schedule for next year is attached to this. I would ask you to please sign and date this letter where indicated below after we have had our discussion on its contents. Sincerely, Agnes Ledbetter, Ph.D. Department Head By my signature, I acknowledge having discussed or reviewed the above letter of evaluation. I have __ have not __ attached additional comments with the intent that they become a part of my personnel file. _________________________________________ Signature of Person Evaluated cc: Dean M. Hughes Personnel File R. Hewson
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Evaluation Letter: Sample 2 (excellent)

(Performance Evaluation Letter is normally printed on corporate letterhead stationery) CONFIDENTIAL Professor Marilyn Chang Performing Arts Center Lakeview Campus Berkeley, CA, 94705 Dear Professor Chang: This letter constitutes the formal written evaluation of your assigned duties and professional responsibilities for the past academic year. This review is based on: your performance of assigned and associated duties and responsibilities, reviews of recent creative works you have completed, results of the Tenure Assessment Committee's annual review of the student teaching evaluation results, and on my own review and observations of your assigned and related duties and responsibilities. The three areas of evaluation are: teaching (80%), creative activity (15%), and services and administration (5%). PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Teaching and Instruction (80%) As in previous years, your teaching continues to be excellent, both in the classroom and in the performance studio. Members of the Tenure Assessment Committee who have observed you in action have noted that you devote a great deal of personal effort and interest to your daily teaching activities, and to your students. Not surprisingly, student evaluations of your teaching are very high in all categories rated. I have noted that you continue to be open and receptive to suggestions as to how your teaching can grow and improve. I am impressed by the ways in which you have responded positively to some of the suggestions made during our previous annual reviews. You continue to make an outstanding contribution to the teaching and instructional program of this department. I note that in addition to your assigned teaching responsibilities, you serve regularly on a number of committees, and frequently present master classes at other institutions. Your colleagues find you to be frank and direct in discussions but always ready to listen to new and/or different ideas. Creative Activities (15%) Your creative achievements remain excellent in every respect. In the past year, you have participated in numerous faculty performances on campus and in the community. Your recital performances are regarded as excellent, both within the state and across the country. You have also been invited to participate in an international concert tour in recognition of your excellence. In addition to your performing, you have also achieved excellent success as a composer. Your compositions include six commissioned pieces, as well as three other published works. I am especially pleased that your work is frequently performed by orchestras in both this country and abroad. This is an amazing accomplishment for someone in an early teaching career and reflects very favorably on the department and the university. Services and Administration (5%) You continue to be involved in departmental management through your work on the University's Equal Opportunities Committee and your participation on the New Talent Search Committee. Additional service activities include your participation in a department-sponsored seminar, a performance festival, your service on the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, April 30, 2002
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and your continued performance as a member of the Valley Youth Orchestra. I believe that your level of involvement in these various activities is outstanding. You have now completed your second year of tenure-earning status. I find that your overall performance in all three areas of teaching, creative achievements, and services/administration continue to be excellent, and completely consistent with your assignment. PROGRESS TOWARD TENURE The excellent quality of your work has been recognized and commended once again by the members of the Tenure Assessment Committee. You continue to achieve distinction, both on and off campus as noted in reviews and comments made by your colleagues and others. I note that you continually strive for improvement in all areas of endeavor. You are well-liked and respected by your colleagues. Your ability to respond positively to constructive suggestions and learn from them is exceptional. I encourage you to continue with your efforts in all of these areas. As you enter your third year of tenure-earning status, I would like to suggest some ways in which you should continue to strive for continued growth: Focus on being more selective and discerning in the types and number of professional and creative activities that you engage in. Your shift in focus to more off-campus and regional activities last year had a positive impact and was wise. I suggest you prioritize a little more, in order to give yourself more balance and flexibility. Work on improving your awareness relative to how others view you in professional settings. Make sure that your interaction with colleagues will lead toward the accomplishment of your professional goals. Continue with your program to strengthen and expand your studio workshop series. The current enrolment of twelve students for next year looks promising. Continue on your path of composing and performing in ways that bring credit to you, the department, and the university. You should continue to refine your comprehensive teaching portfolio, which will be key in presenting a thorough profile of your teaching work when you apply for tenure and promotion. Continue to explore creative ways in which to develop new instructional materials for your classes, particularly for working with students of varying learning styles.
In summary, you continue to make wonderful contributions to our faculty and the department as a whole, and I regard myself as fortunate to be your colleague. Your hard work and exceptional commitment and dedication are appreciated by all whom know you. Accordingly, I am pleased to recommend that you be reappointed as Assistant Professor for the 2002-03 academic year. Have a great summer and take some time for yourself! The following is a list of your primary duties and responsibilities (scheduled and non-scheduled) for the 2002-03 academic year. The list includes those other duties and responsibilities attendant to being a faculty member. Please note that due to the unpredictability of final student registration, your actual responsibilities during the coming year could be somewhat different from these. We often have to make adjustments in assignments after the teaching year has begun. Teaching/Instructional Activities - 2002-03 (provisional) Performance Studio and Studio Workshop Academic Classes in Music Theory Composition Review and Critiques Projects and Courses as needed Thursday Afternoon Auditions Faculty Meetings
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Creative Activities and Services In addition to teaching and instructional activities, it is expected that each member of the faculty shall engage in creative activities such as performance, composition, and research appropriate to the persons position. A form will be provided at the late-August faculty meeting, to be used for submitting a written statement of your plans for performances, research or other creative activities for the academic year 2002-03. Please review the draft of your annual performance evaluation letter and sign it the bottom where indicated if you accept the evaluation. You may attach any comments you might have for the record and return them to me no later than next Monday. If you disagree with the evaluation and/or would like to meet with me to discuss it or related matters, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Sincerely,
Boris Kafelnekov, Ph.D. Department Chair
_______________________________________________________ Faculty Member's Signature/Date cc: Dean R. Gustafson Personnel File - M. Chang
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Evaluation Letter: Sample 3 (borderline)

(Performance Evaluation Letter is normally printed on corporate letterhead stationery) CONFIDENTIAL Professor Ronald Bates Arts Complex UniCenter, Box 4250 Calgary, AB, T2E 5Y7 Dear Professor Bates: This letter serves as the annual written evaluation of your assigned and related duties for this academic year at this University. It has been prepared in compliance with Article 43.7 of the directives of the University Board of Governors. The evaluation of activity areas is weighted as follows: teaching (60%), research (30%), public service and administartion (10%). Teaching and Instruction (60%) Your teaching assignment for the past year (60%) involved courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. You also served on three Masters committees (two as chair), and on three Doctoral Committees (one as chair). As we discussed during our recent annual review meeting, I am quite concerned about a number of things that have transpired in some of your classes. These concerns have been reflected in low student ratings, and in complaints from students about your teaching practices. This is almost exactly the same situation that existed one year ago. There has been little or no improvement since then. These complaints have also been brought to my attention on several occasions this past year by graduate students. They include the following: You do not create a focused and orderly atmosphere in your classes. This is reflected by the absence of continuity and consistency in your class lectures. The haphazard way in which you follow up with students on their homework assignments has also been criticized. As I pointed out last year, and on a number of occasions in the past few months, you need to focus more and organize your teaching approach. Your classes frequently do not begin on time and you do not provide appropriate instructional materials. These concerns were strongly reflected in student evaluations. I raised these points with you in your annual review last year, as well as in a series of conversations we had since the winter study break. You do not regularly attend academic meetings during which matters relating to the continuity of the academic program and related issues are discussed and decided upon. Numerous of your colleagues have stated that, when you do attend, you tend to be negative and are not particularly collegial in your interactions. You do not provide regular and consistent formal assessments and feedback to students about their progress and how they can work toward improvement. November 25, 2002
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Your overall failure to perform your duties properly is clearly evidenced in the low student ratings of your teaching performance over the past year. Your ratings in all of your fall-term courses were extremely low. In the "Overall" category, yours were among the lowest of all faculty ratings during the same period.
With reference to the foregoing, and as we discussed when we met recently, I consider your teaching performance to be unsatisfactory. Accordingly, I must formally advise you now that if I do not see significant improvement in the areas discussed in this letter over the coming year I will have no choice but to but to take the actions I discussed with you. I strongly urge you to contact the Department of Instructional Support for assistance in analyzing some of your lectures. In addition, I plan to visit your classes unannounced on at least three occasions during the coming winter and spring terms. My observations, coupled with your own analysis, should give you plenty of ways to improve your classroom teaching and demeanor. You might also want to ask one or two of your senior colleagues to observe you in the classroom and to provide you with constructive feedback which you can put into action. Research And Scholarly Achievements (30%) You have made several achievements in the area of research and scholarship (30%) over the past year. Most notable was the publication of your research in one article in a refereed journal, and your presentation of same, at a national conference. However, I find this level of productivity to be marginal considering your status as a Full Professor. I expect you to increase your research and scholarly output significantly during the coming year. If your output in this area does not increase to my satisfaction, the percentage of time assigned for research next year will be decreased and an additional course will be added to your teaching load in future terms. Public Service and Administration (10%) Your public service and departmental administrative activities (10%) were borderline satisfactory over the past year. These included limited contributions and sporadic participation on the Departmental Library Acquisitions Committee. In addition, you participated in only 60% of the sessions of the International Scholarship Review Committee. I would also expect you to be more active in one or more of the professional organizations related to your specialty discipline. It has come to my attention that, in addition to your specific assigned duties, you have also been involved in activities outside of the University that could be deemed in conflict. For example, your extensive consulting activities which were never reported and reviewed in accordance with the University's conflict of interest policy, appear to be in blatant conflict to the guidelines. In light of the foregoing assessment of your academic and related activities as a faculty member, I find your overall performance over the past academic year to be unsatisfactory and in need of significant improvement. Following are your assignments for the Winter and Spring Semesters: Three (3) Academic Courses Please note that due to the unpredictability of final student enrollment, your actual assigned responsibilities during the coming year could be somewhat different from the above. It is often necessary to make adjustments in assignments after the year has begun. Departmental Committees as elected/assigned during the session. Advising students as required.
In addition to teaching and related activities, it is expected that each member of the faculty will engage in: research and scholarly activities appropriate for the individual's position, service to the Bonus SampleTemplates
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Department and/or University, and performance of those other duties and responsibilities normally expected of a member of the academic teaching staff. If you agree with this evaluation, please sign and date it where indicated and return it to my office by this Friday. If you disagree with this evaluation and/or would like to meet with me to discuss it, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Sincerely, Brian Jamieson, Ph.D., MSc. Department Chair By my signature, I acknowledge having discussed the above letter of evaluation and request ___ /do not request ___ that the attached comments be filed with this letter in my personnel file. _______________________________________ Signature of Professor Evaluated/Date cc: Dean Z. Ayoub Personnel file R. Bates
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Evaluation Letter: Sample 4 (unsatisfactory)

(Performance Evaluation Letter is normally printed on corporate letterhead stationery) CONFIDENTIAL Professor Judith Weiser Campus Learning Center 1500 Heritage Circle Cincinatti, OH, 45201 Dear Professor Weiser: This letter is a draft of my evaluation of your annual and sustained performance as a tenured fullprofessor. The evaluations focus on your three major areas of assignment: teaching/instruction (60%) , research (30%) and service (10%), as well as on other related duties and responsibilities pertinent to your position at the University. ANNUAL EVALUATION Teaching and Instruction (60%) As evidenced by my review of your teaching and instructional material and the results of your fall student evaluations, your teaching continues to be of superior quality. You have maintained a reputation as one of our most popular and effective teachers. Your involvement in teaching those difficult beginning level undergraduate courses is appreciated. You have also performed well in your other teaching-related activities and assignments, including your development of unique new teaching methods and aids. Although your teaching evaluations remain above average, there has been a spate of recent complaints from a number of students about your conduct in the classroom, i.e. short-tempered behavior, use of inappropriate language, tardiness, being preoccupied, and not being prepared for class. We discussed these issues recently and you have indicated that you understand the concerns and will address them. Research (30%) Your activities for the past year in grant-funded research have been very disappointing. I realize that because a few of your graduate students are completing their work, it has been a busy time for you. Nevertheless, by failing to provide the required grant reports when required, you have missed the opportunity to have your current grant considered for continuation. Furthermore, you have not submitted any other grant proposals. Consequently there is no support for your graduate students. In addition, your publication activities have virtually ground to a halt. For these reasons, I consider you performance in your research to be unsatisfactory this year. Service and Other (10%) Your performance with respect to your normal departmental professional duties appears to also be at a standstill. Your attendance record at department committee and faculty meetings and seminars is spotty at best. It seems that in recent months you have almost isolated yourself from your colleagues and from the normal professional activities of the department. When you do occasionally attend, you appear to be confrontational rather than positive and productive. A number of your colleagues have expressed concern about this relatively sudden change in your demeanor. As I mentioned, in the previous section many of your students have also complained about your temper and sudden outbursts. We discussed this recently and you assured me that although you have recently experienced some personal problems, things are now under control. August 20, 2002
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Overall, with the exception of your classroom teaching, I believe your performance of the responsibilities to you as a faculty member are less than satisfactory this year, particularly the most recent term. This last period certainly does not reflect your normal performance. In summary, based on your annual report, student evaluations, peer reviews, and my own observations, it is my view that your overall performance is below average and in need of immediate and significant improvement. SUSTAINED PERFORMANCE EVALUATION With respect to your sustained performance over the past six (6) years, I find your overall performance to be satisfactory, excluding this past year. Your classroom work has always been your major strength, and I continue to view it as excellent. Prior to this past year, your research activities were always excellent. I realize that you have had some personal challenges and problems recently, which have degraded your performance. You have indicated that you are taking action on these and expect things to improve in the near future. As we discussed, in order to give you time to regroup, your classroom teaching assignment will be reduced this year. This will give you some extra time for course preparation, to conduct library research, and to revitalize your research program. We also discussed the possibility of you utilizing some of the on-campus resources such as life management counseling to help you deal with some of the problems you face. I trust you will avail of some of these programs during the coming year. Please regard this as notification of your reappointment for the next academic year. Your tentative teaching assignments for next year will be two sections per term of your regular course in Literary Classics (50%). Your research assignment will be increased to 45% to give you more time to conduct research and develop and submit grant applications. In addition, your normal service component will be reduced (5%). As we discussed, I am hoping that you will also agree to chair two proposal review committees, as well as serve on the scholarship review committee. In addition to these assigned duties, you are responsible for other duties and responsibilities normally expected from a member of the faculty that are related to your employment at the university. If you agree with this evaluation, please sign and date it where indicated and return it to my office by next Monday. If you disagree with it and/or would like to meet with me to discuss it, please make an appointment with me for early next week. I wish you success in the coming year. Please let me know if I can assist you in any way. Sincerely,
Marisa Thomasino, Ph.D. Department Chair By my signature I acknowledge having discussed the above letter of evaluation and request ___ do not request ___ that the attached comments be filed with this letter in my personnel file. ______________________________________ Faculty member's signature/Date cc: Dean L. Rassmussen Personnel File J. Weiser
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Evaluation Letter: Sample 5 (request for letter)

(Performance Evaluation Letter Request is normally printed on corporate letterhead stationery) Dr. Simon Braithwaite Professor, English Literature Studies Department of English Literature Arts and Sciences Building 7500 Edgewater Way Portland, OR, 97213 Dear Professor Braithwaite: I would like to thank you in advance for agreeing to draft a letter of evaluation for the tenure of Dr. Purie to the position of Full Professor in my department. To guide us in evaluating Dr. Puries professional performance, we are seeking your considerd opinions as to the quality of the contributions that he has made in his field. There are a number of factors that will be taken into consideration when deciding whether Dr. Purie should be promoted at this time. Although crucial to our evaluation, your input will be one of a number, so our decision will not be made on your input alone. We have contacted you as expert in Dr. Puries field and ask you to please limit your comments to issues related specifically to your professional discipline. Here are the specific aspects that we would like you to address: 1. Provide background as to how long, and in what capacity you have known the candidate. 2. Your professional opinion as to the the quality, originality, and significance of the candidates published works, with emphasis on the more recent work. 3. Your overall assessment of the candidates national and international standing relative to other outstanding individuals in the same field at a similar stage of development. Enclosed, you will find copies of various documents relative to your review. I realize that your review of these will be somewhat time-consuming. Nevertheless, I am sure that you are fully aware of the need for such rigorous assessments in order to maintain standards in the field. During the evaluation process, your letter will be kept on a confidential file only available to members of the Evaluation Committee and limited academic support and administrative staff. However, as in most jurisdictions, the law requires that at the end of the review process the letter must be placed on the candidatess confidential personnel file, which will be available to him. The Committee requires your letter of evaluation of Dr. Purie by January 15, 2003. On behalf of the university and the faculty of this department, I sincerely thank you for giving your professional time to this important matter. Dont hesitate to call me at (503) 287-5378 should you have any questions. Sincerely, Gerald Otterson, Ph.D. enclosures November 24, 2002
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COLLEGE ADMISSION ESSAYS

Admission Essay: Sample 1 (life-changing experiences) Admission Essay: Sample 2 (travel and cultural diversity) Admission Essay: Sample 3 (targeted university) Admission Essay: Sample 4 (career and personal goals) Admission Essay: Sample 5 (social issues and concerns)
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Admission Essay: Sample 1 (life-changing experiences)

Describe one or two significant childhood events that have had a lasting impression on shaping the person you are today.
Im not sure whether it was that day at the swimming pool when I was 10, or the week that it poured rain when I was 12 that had the biggest impact on the person I have become today. What I do know is that both of those events were important moments of realization for me. There I was, red-haired, freckle-faced and skinny-white, standing beside the swimming pool with the other boys in my class. All twenty of us were standing there, shoulder-to-shoulder, each one waiting his turn to dive in head-first, swim underwater to the other side of the pool, resurface, and then climb up on the opposite side. That was the simple object of the openingclass-exercise that our burly and gruff male instructor had assigned to us. There was only one problem with this picture. I didnt know how to swim! But they started anyway. One-by-one, diving in, swimming across the pool, and then jumping up and out. I was second last in line. As I watched the others take their turns, I was filled with fear, wanting to just run up to the instructor and say to him I cant swim. But for some reason, I just couldnt do that. When my turn finally came, I dove head-first into the water as if I knew exactly what I was doing. Then I proceeded to start drowning. Fortunately, there was a life-saving pole nearby and my instructor managed to fish me out as I choked and spluttered mouthfuls of chlorinated water. Humiliation isnt a powerful enough word to explain what I felt at that moment. Profound shame might be a better description. This was a clear demonstration as to how far I would already go by the age of 10 years, just to please people. What that incident really boiled down to was the fact that I would choose to look death in the face rather than admit that I couldnt do something. I later realized that I would go to such lengths particularly to please older men, especially if the older man happened to resemble my father in any way. Not surprisingly, the swimming instructor was a younger version of my dad. Why exactly that dynamic existed, is the subject for another essay But you know what? I did learn to swim that summer. After that incident I somehow managed to screw up my courage, go back to the swimming class, and keep on diving into that water. In that swimming pool, I learned that by facing my fears head-on, I could overcome them.
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A couple of years later I was the star pitcher in our suburban baseball league in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Near the end of the season the coach asked me if I would like to be the starting pitcher in a special game that had been arranged against the all-star team from the big city across the harbor from us. This was a wonderful thing. It was a huge honor, and I had never been so excited about anything before. The game was to take place the following Saturday. I could hardly wait and had never anticipated something with so much excitement. Saturday came and it was pouring rain. The coach called and said that the game was post-poned to the next day. Sunday came and it was still pouring. The game was re-scheduled for the following Wednesday evening. On Wednesday, it poured all day once again, and the game was re-set for the next Saturday. I believe that we had rain for 30 straight days that summer. It was a record. After Saturdays rain-out I never did hear from that coach again. Somebody said he had gone away on vacation. I felt an empty hole in the pit of my stomach. It stayed right there with me for the rest of that summer, and beyond. That experience taught me that you can never count on anything for sure. You can plan, and you can prepare, but for the actual event you just have to wait until you get there and see what happens when that day comes. Now as I seriously contemplate going to college I realize the importance of these two lessons that I learned almost a decade ago. Lesson number one: I can face my fears, and if I do, I will overcome them. Lesson number two: I can do all of the preparation and planning necessary for an event. But I wont worry or obsess about what is going to happen in the future. When the big day comes Ill accept whatever it presents me with.
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Admission Essay: Sample 2 (travel and cultural diversity)

Explain how your international travel experiences have affected your view of the world and how they have impacted you as a person?
From as far back as I can remember I have been shuttled back and forth between countries. Later on, it was also between houses, and then finally, between cities. Little did I know at the time, the impact that this living out of a suitcase would have on me as a person, and how it would change my understanding of people, and the world. My dad and mom met in Canada, were married in India, and then settled back in Canada. After a few years in Canadas capital city, Ottawa, my dad joined a special project team in St. Johns, Newfoundland. Thats where I was born. So, that makes me a Newfoundlander with an anglo-Canadian father and an indo-Canadian mother. They dont have a name for that combination yet. After returning to Ottawa, my parents separated and eventually divorced when I was four years old. From that point on, I lived full-time with my mother and stayed with my dad every second weekend, as well as during vacation periods. For a few years, I also stayed with my dad one night each weekday. We did a lot of shuttling back and forth. Ever since I was a baby I was taken to India by my mother almost every Christmas season to visit my grand parents and cousins. That trip is something I really looked forward to every year. India is such an exciting and exotic place, and I loved visiting my relatives there. Most years, I would leave for India on Boxing Day so that I could also spend time with my dad and his family in Canada on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Once I turned 11 years-old, I was able to fly to India alone and spent most of my summer vacation each year with my grand parents and cousins in New Delhi. Occasionally, I would miss a few days of school in early January because of the India trips. To compensate for this, I would write essays about my experiences in India and in Europe during my travels. I would hand these in as assignments when I got back to school in Ottawa, Sometimes I was even asked to read them to the class. So, in many ways I have experienced the best of two worlds, India in the East, and Canada in the West. I am fortunate enough to have extended families in both places. Then, when I was 13 years old my dad moved from small city Ottawa to the big city of Montreal. Since then, I have bused to Montreal every second weekend to see my dad. I have
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always loved my time in Montreal. It has the feeling of a large vibrant international center that is dripping with multiculturalism and ethnic diversity. I also get to practice my French whenever Im there. None of my friends in high school have traveled quite as extensively as I have. Sometimes in class, or even just in casual conversation, I realize how much I have learned in my travels and how they have allowed me to see the bigger picture as my dad calls it. I find that my friends sometimes have trouble understanding the differences of other cultures. I know that this is because their only reference point is their own culture. On the other hand, although I dont pretend to know a lot about cultures other than in Canada and India, I think that knowing that there is another dimension leaves me more open to whatever differences another culture may have. I have learned that these differences do exist and must be accepted as they are, with no judgment by one group or the other. I have no doubt that my multi-cultural background, coupled with my traveling experiences, have created my current interest in pursuing studies in world affairs and international development. The way I see it, were all together here, co-existing in our diversity, on this beautiful planet of ours. So, lets just try to be tolerant and accepting and enjoy each others company. With the proliferation of the Internet and the global economy, the world is quickly becoming a much smaller place than it was during my parents youth. Before long were all going to have to learn to get along as one big extended family.
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Admission Essay: Sample 3 (targeted university)

Explain why you have chosen to apply for admission ino this particular college (or university)?
I know it sounds a little strange, but I have wanted to go to McGill University ever since I was 10 years old. I believe I picked up this notion during one of my semi-annual visits to my cousins place in London, England. Often, during dinner conversation, the adult discussion would turn to where the kids (us) would go to college when they (we) got older. I dont remember much about those conversations except for one thing. Invariably, I would hear the phrase, in North America, it has got to be either Harvard or McGill! This was always stated quite emphatically, as if it was a fact, that there were no other choices. At the time, this didnt mean that much to me, but I stored the information away for future reference. Then one day in Miss Hicksons Grade 5 class we were asked to name the university that we would like to go to. I immediately blurted out Harvard or McGill believing I had pretty well covered all of the options. Boy, was I surprised when some of the other kids yelled out a series of strange names like U. of T., UCLA, Cambridge, McMaster, UBC, Queens, Cornell, Western, and others. Miss Hickson went on to explain that there were many universities and colleges (in fact hundreds) across North America. This was definitely news to me at the time. She then stated that Montreals McGill University was considered by most people to be among the very best in Canada. Of course that confirmed everything that I had heard over the dinner table in London. So from then on, for me, McGill was the place to be if you were going to go to university in Canada. After that, I became very McGill-conscious. My ears would perk up whenever I heard the name mentioned on the tv or radio. I would notice McGill references and articles in newspapers and magazines. McGill jackets would stand out in a crowd for me. At one point I even bought McGill track pants to wear to high school. When I was 13 years old my dad moved to Montreal. This was a big deal for me at the time, because not only did it mean Montreal, an exciting new city to visit, but it also meant I would be close to McGill University. I would travel there by bus every second weekend to stay with my dad. On those weekends, my heart would always beat a little faster when we would go by
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the old greystone buildings of the McGill campus, nestled half way up beautiful Mount Royal in the heart of the city. When I was 15 I traveled to Montreal with the Ottawa Lions Club track team. The meet was held at McGills indoor track and field center. I felt at home immediately. In fact, for me it somehow felt like coming home. The corridor walls were plastered with photos of McGill sports heroes of the past. For some reason I dont fully understand, I felt proud of these bygone stars, and somehow strangely connected to them. As I got older, I came to appreciate McGills reputation as an international center for higher learning. Many famous and accomplished people have taught there and/or graduated from there. World famous pioneers like Linus Pauling and Norman Bethune. There were personal and family connections to McGill as well. Stephen Leacock had taught there for many years while spending his summers in my dads birthplace, Orillia, Ontario. My dads favorite poet, Leonard Cohen had graduated from McGill. During my last two years at high school I worked harder than ever, intent on keeping my average in the mid-80s to make sure that I would have a chance to get in to McGill when the time came. I really focused on my English literature and world issues courses since I was interested in applying for political science or sociology, eventually doing an honors degree in International Development. As I came to know Montreal, I realized how McGill and Montreal fit so perfectly together - a world-class international city, hosting a world-class international university. As one walks up McGill-College Avenue approaching the McGill campus, one sees the university and its mountain reflected in the windows of the high-rise office towers, opposite. Each one, a perfect reflection of the other. Now, as I contemplate the possibility of attending McGill as a student, a lump forms in my throat as I realize how close I am to achieving that childhood dream. If I am accepted, it will be my turn to contribute to the continued building of that institutions international reputation for excellence. Its an awesome challenge that I definitely want to be a part of.
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Admission Essay: Sample 4 (career and personal goals)

What are your career goals and why have you chosen that particular path. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
One of my best friends from when we were toddlers knew from the time she was eight or nine years-old that she wanted to be a doctor - no ifs, ands, or buts. Susan was going to be a doctor and that was it. The funny thing is, just last week Susan was accepted into her second medical school. Im sure that she will do well in her studies and will become a great doctor. It hasnt been quite so straightforward for me. In fact, to be perfectly honest I dont yet have any fixed career goals. But I do know some general directions that I want to go in, both professionally and personally. I just dont yet have a fix on a specific job or career path that I want to pursue. My experiences both in and around high school have shown me some things I am good at and some things that I like to do more than others. For example, I love working face-to-face and shoulder-to-shoulder with other people, especially if we are working towards a common goal. I realized this when I worked as a co-organizer on a campaign to raise funds for cancer research. I adored the feeling of working with others for a great cause. I liked the concept of being able to help other people suffering or in need. My work as a volunteer with handicapped and learning disabled children was also very rewarding for me. I enjoyed being around these kids and experiencing their innocence and their unconditional love whenever I would do the smallest thing to help them. These kids are not always easy to work with but the rewards can be great. It was nice to be able to make a small difference in someones life every day, even if it might seem to be relatively minor stuff to some, in the big scheme of things. I love writing, especially about current issues. Working as a feature writer on the school paper for the last two years of high school was like a dream come true for me. Since I had the world issues beat I was given carte blanche to focus on whatever I considered the more important issues on this planet right now. Pressing issues, like infant mortality, child poverty, and the general exploitation of children, especially in developing countries. I really enjoyed researching these subjects and writing articles about them. Again, by exposing these issues to a larger audience I felt I was helping people in suffering or need, at least indirectly. This would explain why I have applied for admission into a general arts program with political science or sociology as my majors. I believe that during my studies in these areas I
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will develop a much clearer idea about which specific career path I might want to follow. In the meantime, I will continue to learn more about who I am and what this world is all about. As for where I see myself ten years from now? Who can really know? Theres no point in pretending that I know where Ill be or what Ill be doing. What I do wish though, is that ten years from now I will be happy and successful in whatever profession I will have evolved into during my university career. More than anything, I hope that at that time I will still be working, learning, and creating - and changing too! I dont ever want to get stuck in one place in my development, either as a professional or a person. Ten years from now, if I can honestly say that I dont know what Ill be doing ten years from then, Ill know Im on the right path. After all, I believe were all here to keep on learning - forever.
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Admission Essay: Sample 5 (social issues and concerns)

Discuss some of the main issues that concern you at the local, national, or international level.
Youre seeing the glass as half-empty again my dad would invariably say to me as soon as I would launch into one of my frequent tirades about some new social injustice I had just discovered in my high school World Issues class. Dont forget to look at the other side of the equation he would admonish me. Even now as I look back at one of those discussions that occurred just six months ago, I realize how my thinking has changed. I think Im starting to see the big picture more than I used to. Im starting to realize that many issues are very easy to react to at the basic gut level, but when one looks at them more carefully the picture is frequently much more complex and the right answer is not always so cut-and-dried anymore. Mind you, this doesnt apply to everything. Some things are just plain wrong. War for example. Both sides may have a legitimate case but murdering each others citizens can never be justified. Sexual abuse of children is another. This is sick and inexcusable under any circumstances. Essentially, I believe that all forms of violence against the human race are fundamentally wrong. While working on a couple of projects in my final year of high school I had a chance to do some literature research into a number of these issues. What I found was very interesting. I came to realize that there are many social issues and conditions that arent quite as straightforward as the ones I mentioned above. For example, most people are not aware that by far the largest killer of human beings on this planet is indoor air pollution, estimated to kill 2.8 million people every year, mostly in the developing world. Thats right, I said million. Yet, when we read our newspapers and listen to our politicians we never hear about this problem. Instead they go on-and-on about things like mad cow disease and the West Nile virus. Yes, it is unfortunate that some people are dying of these. However, the fact is that these two conditions together have killed fewer than one thousand people worldwide, ever. Compare this with 2.8 million human beings killed annually by indoor air pollution that is directly related to ignorance and living in poverty. Global warming is another issue that I think is very important but one that is also being distorted and blown way out of proportion by the media and special interest groups. The fact is, that even the scientists cant agree on exactly what is going to happen in the future, and
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their estimates are wildly different. So, I can understand the reluctance of the U.S. government and some others to resist immediate implementation of the Kyoto protocol. Instead, they believe in a phased adoption of the Kyoto measures because immediate implementation would cost billions of dollars and throw the economies of the major developed countries into chaos. This would benefit no one, and would cause more pain and suffering than the short-term effects of global warming. There are a number of other global issues that also interest me, including: human poverty and starvation, environmental issues in general, and biodiversity. An aspect of all of this that really interests me goes back to my dads analogy about the glass. Is it half-full or half-empty? Why do the media, politicians, and special interest groups tend to jump on the bandwagon of negativity on just about every major social issue? Is this healthy? Maybe if were always preparing for the worst case scenario all the time, we cant go wrong. But then, what about our tendency to focus on the wrong things due to all of the hype surrounding the designer issues of the day? These kinds of questions fascinate me. I guess that explains why I was drawn to apply for admission into a political science program majoring in world issues. After that, I think would like to enroll in a masters program in journalism in which I could focus on covering issues related to the developing world and the future of the human race. I would like to be able to add some balance to that coverage.
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ONLINE RESOURCE LINKS

There are literally thousands of Web sites and pages that contain information related to the writing of letters of recommendation and college admission essays. For example, the week I compiled the following list I did some testing on www.google.com. When I entered the phrase recommendation letter google came back with 1,140,000 links! For the phrase college admission essay, 145,000 relevant links were found. So, in order to find the most relevant and useful links, I carefully checked out the top 100 links that google.com returned for each of the above phrases. Accordingly, the following is a researched short-list of more than 80 links that I have compiled as the most useful and relevant links on the Web related to recommendation letters and college admission essays.
How-To Information Links

Sample Recommendation letter... A letter of recommendation can be tricky http://www.writinghelp-central.com/recommendation-letter.html EastChance.com - How to write a Recommendation letter http://www.eastchance.com/howto/rec_let.asp Recommendation letter- Create reference letters http://www.boxfreeconcepts.com/reco/index.html Article - Recommendation Letters Demystified http://www.writinghelp-central.com/article-recommendation-letter.html How To Write A Letter Of Recommendation When Students Apply To Undergraduate Or Graduate Programs In America http://ieie.nsc.ru:8101/~eac/fair_97/letter_recommend.htm
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Writing a Letter of Recommendation http://www.clarkpersonnel.com/html/resources_refletter.htm Recommendation Letter Tips http://www.staffsolutions.com/careerrecommendation.htm Recommendation letter guidelines http://www.sociology.camden.rutgers.edu/rec-ltr.htm Nothing is more irritating to the referee than to be asked to write a letter of recommendation under pressure. ... http://www.psych.hanover.edu/handbook/rec_letters2.html How to Get Good Letters of Recommendation http://www.psywww.com/careers/lettrec.htm Writing Your First Letter of Recommendation http://bokcenter.fas.harvard.edu/docs/TFTrecs.html Advice on Letters of Recommendation http://www.socialpsychology.org/rectips.htm HSU Career Center: Letter of Recommendation http://www.humboldt.edu/~career/services/tips/rec_tips.shtml Letters of Recommendation and Reference http://jobsearchtech.about.com/library/weekly/aa021400.htm Refusal of Request for Letter of Recommendation http://www.4hb.com/letters/ltrrefusref.html The Medical School Letter of Recommendation http://www.accepted.com/medical/letter_rec.htm Department of Psychology's letter of recommendation service. ... http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/ugrprg/ltrrec/rules.htm
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Employment-Related Sites
Staff Recommendation Letter http://www.iit.edu/~osa/applications/staff.html Recommendation Letter from President & CEO of Applied Internet ... http://www.cs.rit.edu/~gxf7855/recommendation_letter.htm Award Recommendation Letter Writing http://www.therotunda.net/sca/recommend-award.html Recommendation Letter - Robert J. Cameron http://fac.aii.edu/~rc0918/cred/rec.htm Recommendation Letter I am writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of Mark http://www.concertart.com/mark/letter3.html The Graduate School Letter of Recommendation http://www.accepted.com/grad/letter_rec.htm Stellar Letters of Recommendation
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/futureteachers/recommendation.htm
CareerCity: Remember to send a thank-you note to anyone who writes a letter of recommendation for you. http://www.careercity.com/content/interview/prep/letters.asp Career Center letter writers may also write their recommendations for you http://career.berkeley.edu/Letter/Letter.stm
College-Related Sites Tips and Samples

Letter of Recommendation Guidelines http://www.upenn.edu/resliv/chas/join/ra/ref_guideline.html Recommendation Letter Tips http://www.infozee.com/indiatimes/application-issues/reco.htm
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Caltech Graduate School Recommendation Letter Requests http://www.design.caltech.edu/recomend.html OSA Procedure for Requesting Recommendation http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/osa/policy/letters.htm Graduate School Request For Recommendation http://www.colorado.edu/GraduateSchool/app/request.html Recommendation Letter Guidelines, UGA Psychology Department http://www.uga.edu/psychology/undergraduate/recletter.html Recommendation Letter Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Committee. http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/svp/mlkmc/academic.html Recommendation Letter Advice for Applicants Applying To Graduate Schools Of The Health Professions http://www.sunysb.edu/healthed/Text/letters.html Recommendation letter guidelines http://www.sociology.camden.rutgers.edu/rec-ltr.htm The Letter of Recommendation Chaminade College Preparatory School http://members.telocity.com/~jp4121/recommendation.html Sample Letter of Recommendation http://www.lehigh.edu/~village/Apply/sampleletter.html Sample Letter of Recommendation for Rodica Simion http://www.math.rutgers.edu/~zeilberg/simion/recom.html Winning Scholarships: Writing letters of recommendation http://www.utpress.utoronto.ca/howell/chap08.html Sample Request for Letter of Recommendation http://www.med.stanford.edu/school/smysp/nojava/prepare/sampreq.html
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College-Related Sites - Recommendation Letter Forms

Recommendation Letter FormUniversity of Washington Physics Research ... http://int.phys.washington.edu/REU/2002/reu4.html UMass Lowell. Recommendation Letter http://129.63.50.205/Online_Application/reco_us.html Recommendation Letter Princeton in Beijing June 21 - August 17, 2002 http://www.princeton.edu/pib/recommendation.pdf Letter of Recommendation Department of Information Science and Telecommunications http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~dist/applications/recomm.html Graduate School Of The University Of Florida Letter Of Recommendation. http://gradschool.rgp.ufl.edu/education/recommendation.html Optional Practical Training Recommendation Letter http://www.ia.uconn.edu/PDF/f1student_recletter.pdf Arizona Graduate Program in Public Health: Recommendation Letter http://www.ahsc.arizona.edu/pub-hlth/appltr.htm Hayward. School Of Business/Graduate Letter Of Recommendation. http://sbegrad.csuhayward.edu/html/recommendation_letter.html Recommendation Letter: School Of Graduate Studies. Alcorn State U. www.alcorn.edu/academic/academ/gmajor/recommend.htm Letter of Recommendation and Release Form http://www.uprs.edu/rec.html Letter of Recommendation Graduate School, University of Mississippi http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/psychology/Recommendation.html Letter of Recommendation - Dept. of Human Services, Graduate Studies
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http://www.wright.edu/sogs/gradapp/lor.html UCSB Letter of Recommendation Form(s) http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/admissions/forms/rec.html Confidential Letter of Recommendation http://www.coe.neu.edu/COE/grad_school/recommend.html NSF and UCSD Department of Physics Undergraduate Research Program Letter of Recommendation http://physics.ucsd.edu/students/reu/refer.html Graduate Degree Letter of Recommendation: New Mexico State University www.nmsu.edu/~english/programs/referral.html Letter Of Recommendation - University Of Western Ontario Epidemiology http://www.uwo.ca/epidem/lor.htm
Recommendation Letter Services

EssayEdge: Recommendation Letter Editing ($24.95+). http://www.essayedge.com/college/editing/recletter.shtml Monster: A Few Tips on How to Write a Letter of Recommendation. http://content.monster.com/resume/resources/recommendation/ Letter-of-recommendation.com Do you need someone to write a letter of recommendation? http://www.letter-of-recommendation.com/ BestSchoolsUSA - The recommendation letter is just another tool http://www.bestschoolsusa.com/references.html College Admissions: Four Steps To Getting Perfect College Recommendations http://www.freschinfo.com/admissions-4steps.phtml ResumeEdge.com: Letter of Recommendation Help http://www.resumeedge.com/recentgrads/careercenter/recommendations
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College Admission Essay Links

About College Admissionsediting services range from basic editing to helping brainstorm and then develop ideas. http://www.aboutcollegeadmissions.com Accepted.com - The Graduate School Letter of Recommendation http://www.accepted.com/grad/letter_rec.htm Admission Essays... College Admission Essay Writing Resources http://www.admissionsessays.com/ ArtSchools.com - 100 Successful College Application Essays http://www.artschools.com/applying The Best College Admission Essays by Mark A. Stewart, Cynthia Muchnick
http://www.databank.oxydex.com/exam_prep_information/College_Admission.html
College Admission Essay. The Cambridge Essay Service. http://world.std.com/~edit/tips6.htm The college admission essay is an important part of your application. These links will show you how to create the best essay... http://www.collegeapps.about.com/cs/admissionessay College admission essays and personal statement assistance http://www.collegeadmissionsessays.com College admission essay writing. Check this out to get some great help http://examplesessaysfree.com/admission College Admission Essays: Mirrors, Not Calculators By Addie L. Gayoso, Saint Marys College Admission Counselor ... http://www.saintmarys.edu/~admoff/AdmissionQuarterly/QrtlyStu.html College-Essays.com. Premium editing for serious applicants http://www.college-essays.com/pricing.htm College Super Mall - College essay critique and evaluation of your application essay and student personal statement. http://www.collegesupermall.com
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College admission essay services. Professional help to make sure that your college application stands out from the crowd. ... http://www.editmenow.com EssayEdge.com. College admission essay editing and writing service http://www.essayedge.com/ Great-Term-Papers: college admission, entrance, and application essays ... http://www.great-term-paper-sites.com/term-paper/most-popular.html Suggestions for Writing a Winning College Admission Essay... http://www.sru.edu/depts/admissio/lagnese/essays.htm Writing the college admission essay http://www.oldicpac.indiana.edu/infoseries Writing the College Admission Essay by Nancy Davis Griffin Director of Admission Saint Joseph's College of Maine. http://www.reslife.net/html/preparing_1200a.html IEFA.org Admission Information and Links. College Admission Essay & Resume Editing Services! http://www.iefa.org/links/admissioninfo.html MyEssay.com. College Admission Essay Resources and Help http://www.home.okstate.edu/homepages.nsf/toc/ed-essay PointsIn Case.com college admission essay service http://www.pointsincase.com/essay.htm Southwestern University - Writing the college admission essay is crucial. http://www.southwestern.edu/admission-finaid/tips.html
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NOTES
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Fawcett, Shaun, 1949-

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EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 1 (favorable)

Robert Christie Director, Marketing and Sales

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 2 (balanced)

Roger Neilson, CMA Partner, ADN Engineering Systems Inc.

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 3 (unfavorable)

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 4 (targeted)

Raymond S. Eaton Director, Graphics Services

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 5 (one project)

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 6 (peer recommendation)

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 7 (short-term project)

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 8 (part-time student)

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 9 (community service)

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Recommendation Letter: Employment - Sample 10 (refusal to write one)

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COLLEGE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 1 (undergraduate applicant)

Allan S. Fenton Vice-Principal

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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 2 (mature student applicant)

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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 3 (undergraduate, first job)

Donald R. Atkinson, Ph.D. Professor and Department Head

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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 4 (graduate applicant)

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Frederick Wyatt, Ph.D. Department Head

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Recommendation Letter: College-Related - Sample 5 (scholarship applicant)

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Mathew Houston, Ph.D. Professor and Department Head attachment

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Reference Letter: Sample 1 (employment)

July 15, 2002

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Reference Letter: Sample 2 (character, friend)

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Reference Letter: Sample 3 (character, general)

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Reference Letter: Sample 4 (former customer)

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Reference Letter: Sample 5 (explain departure)

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